Warm climate, food culture, ancient history
Southern Europe is a region of sunshine, coastlines, islands, and culture. From the beaches of Greece and Spain to the history of Italy and Portugal, this is one of the most enjoyable and accessible parts of Europe for country catchers.
Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal are classic catches with endless variety. Croatia and Montenegro offer stunning coastal experiences, while smaller countries like Malta, Cyprus, and Andorra are perfect quick catches. The Vatican and San Marino add unique micro-country experiences.
🇦🇱 Albania – Under explored coastline, mountains, and rapid social change. 
Tirana is now easily accessible from all over Europe. Great mountain landscapes; take a private car or taxi if possible. Beach destinations more developed now but can vary a lot of quality.
🇦🇩 Andorra – Mountain microstate focused on skiing and retail tourism. Easy access from Barcelona or France. Good for skiing but also surprisingly nice in the summer months too.
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina – Post conflict society with layered history and beautiful landscapes. Sarajevo is a fascinating city with some of the most interesting tourist sites. Definitely visit the famous tunnels in Sarajevo. Also see the site where Archduke Ferdinand was murdered which precipitated World War 1. Mostar is beautiful and not that far from Sarajevo. World famous bridge but be careful before jumping off. Banja Luka in the north very picturesque and interesting mix of Serb and Bosnians cultures. Access by bus.
🇭🇷 Croatia – Adriatic coastline, medieval towns, and island culture define travel. Dubrovnik fascinating but can be overwhelming with cruise ships at times. Split offers an interesting alternative with historic town centre and nearby Roman ruins. If you can hire a boat to see some of the islands, then well reccomended. Catch Pula for amazingly well preserved ampitheatre; like Rome but without the crowds.
🇨🇾 Cyprus – Divided island with stunning beaches and ancient traditions. Party in the south and more peaceful in the North. Many party and quiet places to go in the South. Can get very hot and crowded in the summer so look for more inland places even if a little further from the sea. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world and the border is now fully open. The North is well worth a visit on your own or with a guide.
🇬🇮 Gibraltar – The rock is of great military and strategic importance. A small area but with unique and interesting tourism activities. Border now fully open with Spain which makes travel easier. Incredible runway which is also a road so is closed to traffic for take offs and landings only. Take the cable car to visit the monkeys at the top but don’t feed them. The whole rock can be run round quite well in about 1-1.5 hours where you can also see the mosque on the most remote part. Incredible military museums too. Taxis can be very expensive and not always available so plan ahead!
🇬🇷 Greece – Ancient ruins, island life, and Mediterranean culture shape the country. Tourism centres around Athens, islands, and coastal resorts. Many islands to visit including the famous ones of Rhodes and Crete as well as the less well known ones such as Ithaca. Ios is a major party island. Kos can be twinned with a trip to Bodrum in Turkey. Athens remains a must see city but can be very hot in the summer months. Thessaloniki is more chilled out and cooler. You can stay in the city or nearby for a good mix between city and beach. Easy boat access around to include Mount Athos, the holy Orthodox part, only open to men. Access to Mount Athos is difficult not but impossible. See more on Greece here
🇮🇹 Italy – Art, food, history, fashion, and layered cities define the experience. Each region feels culturally distinct. Every region is like its own country with its onw distinct feel, food and culture. Rome is full of amazing artefacts but also a fun city too. Eat in one of the smaller trattorias for a local experience. Dont drive in Rome if you can avoid it! Puglia has become more popular and is great reccomended for a slower more relaxing visit. Tuscany is world famous for its food and rural landscapes. As is Venice, but catch it on a day trip from Udine or Verona to avoid the crowds and crazy prices. Pisa is famous for the tower but has incredible spa places to stay outside the city. Assisi is important for Catholics and does well with a trip to Perguia nearby. Sicily and Sardinia are both worth a visit on thier own. Milan is luxurious and a good gateway to the underrated Dolomites. Access is easy via Ryanair and train travel works well, but the system like the whole of the country is quite old! See more on Italy here
🇲🇹 Malta – Small island nation with deep history, religion and modern tourism. The main island is easy to stay on with many big hotels at reasonable value. Discover some of the interesting buildings in Valetta for some culture. The island of Gozo is also a worth a visit if you are there for long enough.
🇲🇪 Montenegro – Rugged mountains meet a compact Adriatic coast. One of the hottest places to visit right now. Access normally from Tivat or Podgorica, which don’t offer much for the traveller. Can also go overland easily. Budva is a happening beach place and can be enjoyed with the historic old town of Kotor. Inland the Tara river canyon is beautiful for the more adventurous catcher. There is also an iconic boat trip from Bari in Italy to Bar in Montenegro but takes about 10 hours and many drinks.
🇲🇰 North Macedonia – Lake Ohrid is one of the most beautiful destinations in the whole of Europe. In addition, Skopje is an unusual and fascinating capital city. Small country but well worth it. Enjoy Lake Ohrid and stay for a few days. Normally better to stay a bit higher up away from the crowds to avoid the noise and also the mosquitoes by the lake. Swimming in the lake is easy and wonderful. Skopje is a quirky city, full of statues and home to Mother Theresa’s house. The Turkish area is a nice play to stay full of great food.
🇵🇹 Portugal – Atlantic coastline, relaxed pace, and historic maritime culture. Lisbon and Porto are popular but the south remains the true focus for tourism. The south is well developed and very busy in the summer. Lisbon can be well explored by staying in the city or nearby in Cascais or Estoril. Very close by and more relaxed than the city. In the north, Porto cane take a couple of days to discover on its own but dont miss the Douro valley which you can visit by boat or car. You don’t have to be a wine lover to enjoy it but it might help! A short cruise is iconic for a few days. Nearby Espinho is good for the beach and far less crowded than Faro. See more on Portugal here
🇸🇲 San Marino – Ancient microstate on a mountain surrounded by Italy. Strong identity and preserved medieval architecture. A short catching experience possibly best discovered from the beach of Rimini.
🇪🇸 Spain – Regional cultures, major cities, and varied landscapes. Remains one of the most popular beach destinations in the world. The cities are fascinating and unique in their own right. Barcelona is home to the proud people of Catalonia and is a trendy European city. For the beach, possibly better to go nearby to Sitges, home to a few nudist beaches too! Visit the new Nou Camp in Barcelona ideally for a game but if not then the museum is worth it on its own. Madrid is full of interesting sites but can be very hot in the summer months, so avoid then. For a more relaxed (and even hotter) visit, you can catch Seville instead either by high speed train or directly. Bull fighting is also still regularly performed there. The northern regions of the Basque country and Galicia are very interesting and well accessed via their capitals of Bilbao and A Coruña. Beaches are excellent everywhere both on the mainland in the islands. Tenerife is great all year round and has famous black beaches. Ibiza and Mallorca are world famous and you can choose if you want to party hard or be more isolated in some of the remoter places. Very friendly people throughout but remember to respect the nature and the locals. See more on Spain here
🇹🇷 Turkey – Cultural bridge between Europe and Asia with layered history. Istanbul is a stunning city and dominates urban tourism. . The south is very well known for its beaches. Istanbul is the only major city in two continents. Enjoy both sides when you go there. The Grand Bazaar is an incredible market and can be a shopper’s paradise but know where you are going and have a plan or guide. Topkapi Palace should be visited to learn about the history of the once powerful Ottoman empire as well as the excellent views. Many places to eat traditional food but also try other areas like Kadiköy for the fish market. Princes’ Islands is a short boat ride away from the city and still allows no cars. Beaches are incredible on the southern coast and can be enjoyed in many ways. Bodrum has really developed recently and is home to both backpackers and the luxury set. Cappadocia is home to the Anatolia region and if you have the chance to do the hot air ballooning there, you will not regret it. Sometimes can be cancelled in the winter due to snow!
🇻🇦 Vatican City – Tiny religious state at the heart of Rome. Cultural importance far outweighs physical size. Stunning microstate easily visited from Rome. Plan ahead as often you have to queue to get into the Sistine Chapel and the other sites. Go very early as otherwise becomes too crowded. Even if you don’t wish to visit inside, still worth going to see the main square, the Swiss guards and this unique country!
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